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A true classic French soup, this is packed with onion flavour and is delicious for those occasions when soul food is needed to raise the spirits.

Serve our French Onion soup with some bread and a salad and it makes a meal all of it's own!

The recipe also describes how to make the easy cheese topped bead, essential for a soup like this.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

This is a great way of making use of the onions from your garden. You'll already have most of the other ingredients in your kitchen cupboard so no need to buy lots of ingredients.

Don't be fooled by the fact that this is a French Onion Soup recipe! It's almost a main meal when combined with the bread a cheese.

TIME

15 minutes preparation time

45 minutes cooking time

INGREDIENTS

The ingredients in the French Onion soup recipe below will make enough for four good portions. As far as the French Bread is concerned, you can substitute it with normal white or brown bread that has been toasted. We used garlic bread which went down just lovely!

The exact proportions of some ingredients are a matter of taste. Some people really like the flavour of Worcestershire sauce and I know my son would double or even triple the amount I use. Have a taste of the soup when it's nearly cooked and add a bit more of what excites your taste buds.

Gruyere or mozzarella cheese to top the bread. Most cheeses will do as well.

Pepper

Salt to taste (not much needed)

COOKING EQUIPMENT

1 Medium-sized frying pan

1 Large-sized pan

Knife

Notes for the Cook!

Just one note - chopping up 4 onions is a very 'crying' experience! I've no magic recipe to stop the tears, but the result is well worth it. Apparently chewing gum whilst chopping the onions does make some difference but I'm not guaranteeing it!

Method

Start by peeling the four onions and chopping it into small bits.

This is the most laborious part of this recipe - it takes 10 minutes or so to chop up four onions and the tears will flow!

Put the onions into a frying pan, add the butter, margarine or olive oil and turn up to a medium heat.

Turn the onions every minute or so to ensure they are evenly cooked. Aim to cook the onions until they are a medium brown colour.

Transfer the onions from the frying pan to a large pan and add all the ingredients except the cheese and bread.

Cook the soup on a medium heat for about 30 minutes. The aim is to get the onions so they are soft but not falling apart.

While the soup is cooking, put the soup bowls in the oven to get them warm.

Cut up the French bread into slices and put them under the grill to very lightly toast them (a bit less toasted than shown in the picture!).

When lightly toasted, spread some cheese over each slice of bread.

Just before the soup is ready to be served, put the cheese topped bread under the grill and cook until the cheese starts to bubble.

The bread is then meant to be put on the top of the soup and served. However, we weren't too keen on this so in the picture below the bread is served on a separate plate.

This looks like a snack-sized meal but in fact it's quite filling.

With enough toast and a crisp green side salad, it's a meal all on its own.

French onion soup is a perennial favorite that anyone can make at home. A simple soup, it gets its flavor from browning the onions very slowly. And everyone loves the topping of a hearty crouton with melted cheese. This recipe serves about four.

Instructions
Things You'll Need:

2 large onions

1 tbsp. vegetable oils

1 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. marjoram - picked or chopped

1 (14.5-oz.) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 loaf French bread

salt and pepper

1 c. grated Gruyere cheese

Salt And Pepper

1 tbsp. vegetable oils

1 c. grated Gruyere cheese

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. marjoram - picked or chopped

2 large onions

1 tbsp. flour

1 (14.5-oz.) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 loaf French bread

Cut the onions in either a 1/2-inch dice or long strips about 1/4-inch wide. Most French onion soup recipes call for the strips, but diced onions can be easier to eat.

Heat a large saucepan on medium-high heat and add the oil.

When hot, add the onions and butter, stir together and cook.

When the butter has completely melted, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 to 35 minutes, stirring constantly. Be careful of the onions burning at this point; stir often, and lower the heat if necessary. The onions need to caramelize slowly. (For more information on this step, see "How to Caramelize Onions.")

When the onions are a deep golden-brown, add the flour and stir together. Cook 1 minute.

Stir in the chicken stock and marjoram, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil.

Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Season generously with pepper and lightly with salt, and reserve.

While soup simmers, cut four thin slices from the loaf of bread, brush lightly with butter, and toast at low heat until dry.

Heat the broiler and ladle the soup into ovenproof serving dishes.

Lay a slice of toasted bread on top of each dish of soup, top generously with cheese, and place under the broiler to melt the cheese. Remove when the cheese is bubbly and browned in spots.

The trick to a great French onion soup is starting with good stock. French onion soup is usually made with beef stock. I've made delicious soup with stock from the leftover rib and chine bones of a rib roast. Another important element is the proper caramelization of the onions. Caramelizing onions take at least thirty minutes of slow cooking the onions over medium high heat. The browning, or caramelizing, of the onions brings out the sweetness in them.

Ingredients

6 large red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.

Olive oil

1/4 teaspoon of sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.

Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

4-6 pounds meaty beef stock bones (with lots of marrow), including some knuckle bones if possible, cut to expose the center marrow, and include at least a couple veal bones if you can, for their gelatin

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub a little olive oil over the stew meat pieces, carrots, and onions. Place stock bones, stew meat or beef scraps, carrots and onions in a large, shallow roasting pan. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, turning the bones and meat pieces half-way through the cooking, until nicely browned. If bones begin to char at all during this cooking process, lower the heat. They should brown, not burn.

When the bones and meat are nicely browned, remove them and the vegetables and place them in a large (12 to 16 quart) stock pot. Place the roasting pan on the stove-top on low heat (will cover 2 burners), pour 1/2 cup to a cup of hot water over the pan and use a metal spatula to scrape up all of the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour the browned bits and water into the stock pot.

Add celery tops, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns to the stock pot. Fill the stock pot with cold water, to 1 to 2 inches over the top of the bones. Put the heat on high and bring the pot to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to low. If you have a candy or meat thermometer, the temperature of the water should be between 180° and 200°F (boiling is 212°F). The stock should be at a bare simmer, just a bubble or two coming up here and there. (You may need to put the pot on your smallest burner on the lowest temp, or if you are using an oven-safe pot, place it in the oven at 190°F.) Cover the pot loosely and let simmer low and slow for 3-6 hours. Do not stir the stock while cooking. Stirring will mix the fats in with the stock, clouding up the stock.

As the stock cooks, fat will be released from the bone marrow and stew meat and rise to the top. From time to time check in on the stock and use a large metal spoon to scoop away the fat and any scum that rises to the surface. (Do not put this fat down your kitchen drain by the way. It will solidify and block your pipes. Put it in a bowl or jar to save for cooking or to discard.)

At the end of cooking time (when you want to end the cooking is up to you, 3 hours minimum, 6 to 8 hours if you can do it) use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently remove the bones and vegetables from the pot (discard them, though if you see a chunk of marrow, taste it, it's delicious). Line another large pot (8-quart) with a fine mesh sieve, covered with a couple layers of cheesecloth if you have it. Pour the stock through the sieve to strain it of remaining solids. Let cool to room temperature then chill in the refrigerator.

One the stock has chilled, any fat remaining will have risen to the top and solidified. The fat forms a protective layer against bacteria while the stock is in the refrigerator. If you plan to freeze the stock however, remove and discard the fat, pour the stock into a jar or plastic container. (You can also remove the fat, and boil the stock down, concentrating it so that it doesn't take as much storage space.) Leave an inch head room from the top of the stock to the top of the jar, so that as the stock freezes and expands, it will not break the container.

When the weather gets cold, many people want to eat soup. It's comforting, filling and tasty. With this french onion soup recipe, you'll wow your friends and family.

Instructions
Things You'll Need:

2 1/2 cups of onions

2 1/2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of dried mustard

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1 can beef consume

2 cans beef broth

3 cups of water

1/2 cup of sherry

fresh french bread

butter

dash of fresh garlic

1 cup of parmesan cheese

cup of Gruyere cheese

How to Make French Onion Soup

Saute the onions. In a heavy skillet saute 2 1/2 cups of thinly sliced onions in 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil for 30-40 minutes or until onion is well browned and caramelized.

Stir in spices. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of each of the following: flour, salt, dry mustard and pepper. Cook mixture for 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cans of beef broth, 1 can of consume and 1/2 cup of sherry. Cook the soup over low heat stirring until it comes to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Make fresh french bread croutons. Slice french bread. Butter each slice slice. Top with fresh garlic. Broil in the oven till brown. You want the bread to be crunchy but not burned. Once the bread is toasted, cut it into cubes. These cubes will serve as the croutons for your soup.

Place bread in flame proof dish. Layer the bowl with the bread. You will use approximately 8 to 10 cubes. If you desire a thicker soup, add more bread. Pour soup mixture over the bread making sure to cover it completely.

Top with Gruyere and parmesan cheese mixture. Grate 1/2 cup of Gruyere cheese and mix it with 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Place in the oven. Make sure the oven is still set on the broil setting. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly. Watch the soup very carefully because you don't want to burn the cheese. Enjoy your soup!

This easy potato soup recipe is perfect for when the weather forecaster is predicting a hefty snowstorm coming your way. You’ve heard that before but you decide not to give into the panic shopping that takes place across the region.

The following morning you awake, let the dog out and after wrestling with the back door, see snow and lots of it. The day goes on, the kids are inside after blissfully sledding, having snowball fights and making snowmen.

Suddenly you realize it’s nearing dinner. No worries, here’s a hearty, easy potato soup recipe that requires ingredients we all have in our pantry.

Easy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 potatoes

1 quart milk (4 cups)

1/2 to 1 diced onion

4 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon (heaping) flour

Dash of pepper

Directions:

Cut potatoes into small pieces and cook in salted water, with the onion.

In a heavy pan melt the butter over low heat. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly.

Soup recipes are easy! Whether you are looking to warm up, lose weight or hoping to get better soon, these recipes will do the trick.

I was always the kid who refused to eat my vegetables. I have to tell you that now one of my favorite soup is actually vegetable soup. I guess I just grew into it as I got older!

Potato leek soup recipe

This is the kind of soup you can make a huge amount to freeze and have for lunch over the week. You'll need a blender though to blend up all the vegetables. Good luck and enjoy!

Ingredients (4 servings):

1 leek

1 sweet apple (we use Gala apples)

2-3 potatoes

3 celery stalk

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

cooking oil

pepper

salted crackers (optional)

cilantro (optional)

Method:

Part 1 (15 min)

Chop the top of the leek off (1). Slice the leek (2) and celery (3). Peel and slice the potatoes (4) and apple (5). Measure out the milk and the chicken broth and make sure you have all the ingredients (6).

The trick to a great French onion soup is starting with good stock. French onion soup is usually made with beef stock. I've made delicious soup with stock from the leftover rib and chine bones of a rib roast. Another important element is the proper caramelization of the onions. Caramelizing onions take at least thirty minutes of slow cooking the onions over medium high heat. The browning, or caramelizing, of the onions brings out the sweetness in them.

INGREDIENTS :

6 large red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.

Olive oil

1/4 teaspoon of sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.

Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

This soup is easy to make, and there is not much you can do to mess it up. Just watch the onions when you're browning them to be sure they don't burn.

Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat.

Add the onions to the hot pot and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should become soft but not yet browned.

Add the sugar, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes. Stir frequently and lower the heat if necessary to avoid burning the onions. They should be golden brown and soft. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (The onions should be fairly sweet at this point.)

Add the garlic and broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes. You can keep the soup warm on the stove until ready to broil and serve, or allow it to cool and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

When ready to serve, heat the broiler and ladle the soup into individual oven-safe bowls.

Top each bowl with a layer of bread, trimming slices if necessary to cover the entire surface.

Cover the bread with the cheese. (Use sliced cheese and let it hang over the edges if you want the traditional messy French onion soup look and you don't mind scraping melted cheese off your bowls for hours later.)

Heat under the broiler until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.

Soup is the epitome of comfort, a wonderful soul warming food filled with wholesome ingredients and fantastic flavors. Homemade soup allows the cook complete mastery over what goes into each recipe, and the methods and techniques used to create delicious and nutritious dishes. Simply Soups presents easy to follow, step-by-step soup recipes in a format that takes the guesswork out of preparation, and allows the home chef to concentrate on creating perfect soup every time out. Soups are ideal as appetizers or starters, as a side dish, or as a one-pot meal.

Most recipes presented here can be created with basic kitchen tools. A cutting board, sharp paring and chefs knives, vegetable peeler, wooden spoon, skimmer, measuring cups and spoons, a stand-up or immersion blender, ladle, saucepans, stockpot, and a kitchen timer are all that’s necessary to re-create restaurant quality soups in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Most savory soups start with stock. As such, the soup maker should give considerable attention to stock, because this rich broth is so important to the taste of many great soups. Creating stock from scratch is a skill worth mastering, as so many recipes start with stock as the base to add and create rich flavor. Stock is the liquid from boiled meats, poultry, seafood, or vegetables, plus additional seasonings. The stock is filtered through one or more strainers, such as wire mesh or cheesecloth, the solid ingredients are discarded or set aside for later use. The resulting liquid is a rich, flavorful base ready to use in creating soups and stews.

Fresh ingredients make the best dishes. To insure the highest quality results, invest in fresh meats, vegetables, herbs and spices. While the beauty of soup is the ability to use leftovers and items in the refrigerator and pantry that may otherwise spoil, when you are setting out to make a memorable dish, head to the supermarket and purchase fresh ingredients.

Soup makes a wonderful addition to any meal, and once you make a pot or two, you'll discover it isn't really that hard to make. Final adjustments can be made before the soup hits the table. Some soups are finished with special sauces and garnishes, allowing each guest to create a dish that suits their particular taste.

Soup can be savory or sweet, hot or cold, thick or thin. SimplySoups.com offers hundreds of taste tested soup recipes in 24 categories, from simple to gourmet, including the classics and many new and exciting soup creations.

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 pound Cooked Ham, diced

2 (16 ounces) bag Split Peas, rinsed

2 large Carrots, coarsely chopped

2 large Celery stalks, chopped

1 large Onion, coarsely chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

10 cups Chicken Stock

1 Bay Leaf

1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

METHOD :

Combine all the ingredients in a large, heavy stockpot.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to low.

Cover, cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or until the vegetables are very tender, adding up to 2 cups more broth if necessary.

Season with salt, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition.

Melt butter or margarine in a 4 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar. Cook onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Stir in flour until well blended with the onions and pan juices. Add water, wine, and beef broth; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover soup, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Cut four 1 inch thick slices of bread from the loaf. Toast the bread slices at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) just until browned, about 10 minutes. Reserve the remaining bread to serve with the soup.

Ladle soup into four 12 ounce, oven-safe bowls. Place 1 slice toasted bread on top of the soup in each bowl. Fold Swiss cheese slices, and fit onto toasted bread slices. Place soup bowls on a cookie sheet for easier handling.

Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or just until cheese is melted

Melt butter with oil in large soup pot - add sliced onions and stir to coat ~ cover pot and cook over moderately low heat for 15 - 20 minutes - stirring occasionally until onions are tender and translucent. Uncover pot and raise heat to moderately high - stir in salt and sugar (sugar carmelizes and helps onions to brown) - cook about 30 minutes - stirring frequently until onions have turned an even deep golden brown. Lower heat to moderate - stir in flour and add a bit more butter if flour does not absorb into a paste with the onions. Cook slowly, stirring constantly for 12 minutes to brown flour lightly. Remove from heat - pour about 1 cup of warmed consomme into onion/flour mixture to blend flour and consomme - add rest of consomme, water, wine, bay leaf and sage - bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly for 30 - 40 minutes. If you are not serving right away, let cool, uncovered, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat when ready to serve - place in ovenproof soup bowls - top with a slice of toasted french bread, shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Place under broiler to melt cheeses until bubbly.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the bones on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and brush with the tomato paste. Lay the vegetables over the bones. Return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Place the pan on the stove and deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned particles. Put this mixture in a large stock pot. Add the peppercorns, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 4 hours. Remove from the heat and skim off any fat that has risen to the surface. Strain the liquid and discard the bones.

Melt the butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Stir in the onions and season with 1 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Press a piece of foil onto the onions to cover them completely, cover the pot with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally (you will have to lift the foil), until the onions are very soft but not falling apart, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the lid and foil, raise the heat to medium high, and stir in the sugar. Cook, stirring often, until very deeply browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the croûtes (baguette toasts), position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the baguette slices on the sheet in a single layer. Bake until the bread is crisp and lightly browned, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

Add the broth and bay leaf to the caramelized onions and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Put 6 to 8 broilerproof soup bowls or crocks on a baking sheet. Put 2 or 3 croûtes in each bowl and ladle the hot soup on top. Sprinkle with the cheese and broil until the top is browned and bubbly, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Stir in wine if desired. Place slice of toasted French bread in soup bowl. Pour hot soup over toast, then top with cheese. Place under preheated broiler for a few minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.